Proposed law would provide more summer meals for kids

Thursday

Jul 31, 2014 at 7:13 PM

Messenger Post

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, and State Senator Ted O’Brien, D-55th, are announcing legislation Friday at the Boy and Girls Club of Geneva to expand the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Food Service Program.

The legislation would help improve nutrition and enhance learning in underserved areas by better integrating summer education and meals programs, according to a press release from Senator Gillibrand’s office The law would make it easier for public-private partner organizations to participate in the summer meals program, and provide a third meal for children attending evening enrichment programs.

According to the press release there were 60,588 students in the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region who ate a free or reduced priced school lunch on a typical school day last year. In Ontario County there were 4,077 students receiving lunch but only 272 children participating in the summer lunch program.

This legislation would expand eligibility to at least an additional 9,104 students attending more than 42 schools in the region.